Killers on Wheels? City's Cyclists Are More Likely to Be Victims

Published: November 22, 1997

To the Editor:

Re ''On Sidewalk, Fatal Collision With Bicyclist'' (news article, Nov. 20): This tragedy will further contribute to the understandable unpopularity of bicyclists in New York, as shown by Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani's declaring that ''bicycles are a very big quality-of-life problem.''

Responsible cyclists are more often victims than perpetrators, with 16 cyclist fatalities this year. The few existing bike lanes are so often used as turning lanes, standing lanes and drop-off lanes for taxis that I find them more dangerous than car lanes.

I applaud the efforts of Transportation Alternatives to promote courteous riding in the group's ''Give Respect, Get Respect'' campaign. More police summonses issued to reckless cyclists (and to the business owners employing them) would also help.

But better enforcement of traffic laws and more efforts by drivers and pedestrians to respect cyclists on the streets could encourage them to stay off sidewalks.